You're my boy Blue!

I love this boat.  Amber, the kids, and myself still go out on it quite often.  Sure we have the Hunter 26 but that is kept on the gulf about an hour and a half away.  This, which you have seen in many posts before but I never did and actual 'about' post, is our 60's - 70's O'day Daysailor 17.  It is so easy and quick to hook it to the back of the truck, toss in a cooler, and put in at any of the MANY lakes around us.  And we live near Lake County so this is not a understatement. 

The Buck Board from my grandpa was my first introduction to sailing but the O'day (named "Blue" from the Will Ferrell Movie 'Old School' where he says "You're my boy Blue!" in classic Will Ferrell fashion) introduced me to the greater possibilities of sailing.  We could stay out all day, bring food, anchor and swim.  It was a new world coming from the previous background of fishing boats which you don't clamor in and out of jon and bass boats very much.

We were very lucky to have gotten the boat in perfect working order with basically new sails.  The only change I made was to swap the trailer the boat came on with a bigger one that I put all fresh bunks, bunk hardware, carpeting, rollers, winch, and electrical. In the future we will split the hull and redo the fiberglass that is getting weak where you stand and redo the rub rail all the way around.

Every time we take out Blue we say how much we love the boat and we've decided that regardless of what other boats we have we can never get rid of Blue because "You're my boy Blue!"

Docked at Eaton's Beach on Lake Weir

This picture is from years ago. Notice the port side line (red) is pulled too tight.  This is a mistake I made when I first started sailing "Blue."  The Port line should be loose and the starboard line tight to create optimal sail shape.  I can admit when I'm wrong!

She lost a tooth!

Sprint car racing in Ocala, FL

Took the kids to Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL to watch some sprint car and late model dirt oval action!  It was pretty sweet and is now on the list of motorsports I have to try.

Rebecca Paugh #23 let Aaliah sit in the driver seat of her race car!  Too Cool!

Gulf Sailing for the adventurous and unprepared

It was pretty cold when we went out sailing one leisurely morning in mid January 2015.  We didn't really care about the cold because we had only intended to go out for the day and then return to dock.  Of course once we were out we decided we could stay the night anchored out and then return to dock in the morning and still make it to work.

As the afternoon progressed the temperature and weather got worse and worse.  We had to pull in at New Port Richey and buy warm clothes and a blanket for the night.  By the time we headed back out to the gulf we didn't have long before dark.  We attempted to get as far north in a storm that moved in on us so we would be as close as possible to the marina in the morning.  

We struggled and fought against the storm while trying to cook dinner, trying to anchor, trying to stay dry, trying to stay warm, and trying to sleep with the boat banging up and down in the waves.  Ultimately we survived the night and woke up to a foggy morning that soon dissipated and revealed an absolutely gorgeous day of the perfect temperature.  

While trying to pull up the anchor line I noticed the line getting heavier and heavier as I pulled in.  Soon I was to the point of near exhaustion as I pulled up our anchor that was heavily wrapped in an abandoned crab pot line.  I pulled out my Benchmade and almost cut the line free before second guessing myself and unwrapping the line from the anchor tines.  The large bones inside, build up on the pot, and lack of buoys were a pretty good indication that the line was abandoned,

After crawling back into the boat and recovering we motored back to the marina and (gasp) went to work.  I would totally rather be out braving the elements than grinding away at work.  As Amber and I tell each other "any day on the water is a good day."     :)